Bananas can ripen quickly, turning from a pleasant yellow colour to dark brown and mushy.
Ideally, a banana should be bright yellow, firm in texture, and have a subtle flavour when you bite into it.
Bananas that have over-ripened or are starting to turn bad will be totally brown or have black bruises.
If left for a particularly long time, they will start to ferment and smell like alcohol.
There is nothing worse than buying fresh bananas only for them to turn brown and unpleasant in just a few days, which is why it’s so important to store them correctly.
Now, experts from the YouTube channel @LbsLost have shared three methods to keep bananas fresh for “15 days” in a short video.
1. Cover the stem
The first hack showed someone covering the stem of the banana in plastic and then securing an elastic band around it to keep the material in place.
Covering the stem ends of the banana reduces the release of ethylene gas which is what causes bananas to turn brown and spotty.
Aluminium foil, cling film or beeswax wraps can be used to cover the stems.
2. Put the stem in water
The next method involves immersing the banana stem in water. Fill up a glass with water and stick the stem of the bunch in the water.
The water prevents the release of ethylene gas, slowing down the banana’s ripening process.
3. Peel and freeze the banana
The final hack involves peeling your ripe bananas, cutting them into slices, putting them in a sandwich bag and freezing them.
This is a great way to store bananas if you plan to make smoothies, banana bread, or other baked goods.
